Stargate SG-1: Lost and Found
by IndySolo221
Summary: A short story based on an idea of mine, that's all. Rated T for violence, hurt/comfort, and whump that may continue throughout.
1. Part I, Chapter 1

"Teal'c, cover my six. Daniel, keep an eye out for that cave." Jack, Teal'c, and Daniel ran through the forest, with watchful eyes, looking for that familiar cave.

Jack hated that they had to leave Carter. But now, with reinforcements, there was a greater chance that they could all make it out alive. Or, at least, that's what Daniel told him.

Daniel stopped and looked around to find the path they had taken. He scrutched up his face as the smell hit his nose, and looked down at his feet. Acid. He stopped to warn SG-9, and anyone else who was walking through the trail of acid and blood.

Everyone was silent as they made their way through the forest. At the end of the path was the dark lair, where they hoped to find Carter. Nothing could have prepared Jack for what they saw.

Major Carter was laying in the cave, her body limp. There was a rip down the middle of her shirt. Her body was covered in sweat and blood.

Her eyes flittered open and she let out a groan. The rest of SG-1 ran to her aid. Her damp hair clung to her face, which was visibly tear-stained. She spoke almost too quietly for anyone to hear, and her voice was hoarse.

"Colonel? You've come!"

"Can you walk?" Jack asked gently.

She blinked, looked at herself, and replied calmly, "Sir...I can't move."

Jack called Teal'c over to carry her, and as he lifted her carefully off of the ground, blood poured from an open wound in her stomach. Teal'c was obviously angry at the creature that had done this, for his expression was one of hatred. "We must bandage your wound, Major Carter."

"I tried," she replied weakly as he began to bandage her wounds. He dipped his head respectfully and looked to Jack.

All of the sudden, a loud, horrible shriek announced the creature to be blamed. "We gotta go, now!" yelled Jack as they bolted through the entrance. "Daniel, dial the Gate!" He watched as Daniel ran forward to dial home, Teal'c not far behind, with Carter in his arms. She was unconscious.

Daniel had the Gate dialed within two minutes, and all of SG-1 got safely home. For now.

They laid Major Carter on a stretcher in the infirmary, where Dr. Fraiser would be able to take care of her. The rest of SG-1 finished quickly with debriefing, so they could go see how she was doing.

Daniel begged to see her, but Janet wasn't having it. For the most part, Jack and Teal'c stayed silent.

"We've got some fluids in her body, but she's not able to digest anything yet. Her body has taken a lot of damage in the last week. Right now, she just needs to be alone."

This went on for a few days, until finally, Janet let it slide. Jack was the first to see her.

Most of the lights were turned low, and it took his eyes a minute to adjust. Her face was cleaned of the dirt that smudged it earlier, but the tear stains were still visible. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, and she had obviously been crying. A white blanket covered her body entirely, and a pillow held up her head.

At first, he hadn't known what to say. Then, it came to him. "General Hammond wants to wipe the coordinates from the database...with your vote."

Carter wiped her face. "I...I'm aware I can't go back." She stuttered.

They were both silent for a split second. "There was nothing I could do to stop it...it just-"

"I know. We shouldn't have left you."

She cried. "I- I need to go back." She insisted. Tears fell down her face and she wiped them again, making her face turn red. She seemed somewhat guilty, but there wasn't much the Colonel could do. She would have to recover in her own time, on her own terms. The situation had messed with her physically, and mentally, and the physical part could be salvaged. But the mental half was a personal battle. "I want to wipe the coordinates. I want to do it myself." She concluded.

"When you're ready." He assured her.

"I'm ready." With that, the Colonel took her hand and lifted her from the infimary bed. He thought that he saw her smile faintly, but when he looked closer, she was frowning again. He left her to dress, and as soon as he did, Daniel flooded him with a million questions.

"She's fine, Daniel. Just don't crowd her." Janet responded. Daniel sighed and Teal'c actually grinned. Then, Major Carter made her appearance. She hugged Daniel and Teal'c, and thanked Jack. They guided her down the hallway, and she matched them step-for-step. They were SG-1 once again.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam listened intently to the voices outside the door: they were low, yet talkative, and carried a somewhat worrisome air. The glaring lights and constant footsteps made the Major want to burrow further beneath the blankets, even though she knew that she'd have to come out eventually. And to think, that it had only started about a week ago.

SG-1 had made an appearance on PX3-285 on Monday morning. They walked in line with one another, keeping their voices low as they eyed the landscape before them. It looked like any other planet, with hills that could be seen from a distance and trees that spread out almost endlessly.

Colonel O'Neill had taken the lead, and he guided his team with an optimistic countenance and listened as they whispered to each other. Sam made a comment about the atmosphere of the planet, and wondered aloud whether it might have something to do with the small amount of sunlight received.

"You alright there, Carter? You sound a little...spooked," the Colonel teased, picking up the pace as they came along a little trail cut in the woods.

The Major was quick to reply, and although her response was believable, her worried expression gave her away. "I'm fine, Sir, just...making an observation."

All seemed calm until Jack stopped, signaling for SG-1 to do the same. They had come to a sort of fork in the road, and the Colonel looked both ways before deciding which path they should take. So far, there hadn't been any signs of life on the planet, but Jack wanted to be sure.

It was then that a loud shrieking noise was heard, and the entire team was frozen with fear and uncertainty. "What was that?" Daniel asked, nearly yelling over the inhuman sound.

No one knew how to answer Daniel's question, at least, not at the moment. The sound was so loud that it should've been easy to know where it was coming from, but it was the exact opposite. The horrific noise shook the ground that the team stood upon, and it seemed that it came from everywhere, but the source was unidentified until finally, it stopped.

Teal'c was the first to speak. "I believe we are in danger, O'Neill."

"Yeah, what makes you think that?" the Colonel replied sarcastically.

"I have never heard this sound, but as a young Jaffa, there was a tale told amongst those of higher rank about a beast that uttered an unbearable roar."

None of the team dared to move, or even raised their heads, because of the possible threat that loomed over them. "Go on," Jack urged, keeping as still as he could, despite the smell of the creature above them.

"They said that this creature roamed in the dark of night, carrying off Jaffa women and slaughtering them violently to feed their young."

"Teal'c...are these- stories- at all true?" the Colonel asked, bracing himself for the worst.

"The tales have yet to be confirmed," he replied unconvincingly.

Another shriek rang in their ears, and each person ran, not waiting to be told. They had little to no knowledge of what they were up against, and they didn't want to wait around to find out. Carter was in the lead, and Jack shouted at her, telling her to dial the gate. Teal'c followed close behind, running at full speed with a staff weapon in his hand. Jack and Daniel brought up the rear, refusing to glance back. The beast was determined to make an appearance, however, and before Major Carter could reach the dial, she found herself blocked by a massive, dragon-like beast.

The winged creature was slim and silver, bearing the appearance of a sculpture made of stone. It had feathers lining the back of it's neck and the outside of it's wings, and a stare that could pierce the hardest of hearts. The end of it's tail was bulbous, and looked to be filled with a foul, green liquid, and it eyed Carter like a worm on a hook.

The Major was visibly taken back by the creature, stopping in her tracks to think up a plan. She wondered what the creature was waiting for before it snatched her up, leaving Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c gazing helplessly at the sky.

The beast was gone in an instant. Daniel tried to make heads-or-tails of the situation, but all he could do was stutter and stare at the spot where Sam was taken. Jack and Teal'c remained silent, pondering the situation, unsure of what to do next. Should they try to find their lost friend and bring her home, or should they alert General Hammond to bring reinforcements?

"We don't need to bring anyone else here if this...thing...is just going to kill them all," Daniel finally said, trying to be sensitive of the situation.

"Then what _are_ we going to do?" Jack asked, sounding irritated already.

"I- I don't know. I know...we can't leave her here. Not with that thing. If it were anyone of us in this situation, Sam would say the same."

"He is right, Colonel O'Neill. If this beast is truly capable of what I am told, then time is of the essence."

The Colonel's face showed no expression, but it was obvious that he wanted to avoid the worst. "We should see what we can do on our own before we pull anyone else into this. I'll send a message in to General Hammond, and let him know our situation. He should be able to send the equipment we need to plan a rescue."

"Until then?" Daniel asked, his eyes tinted with worry.

"Until then, we lay low, and wait to see if Carter responds to our signal."

Daniel and Teal'c stayed silent, and watched as Jack slowly walked away. They both hoped that, for Carter's sake, the beast would prove inactive for even a short amount of time.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam walked down the corridors of the SGC, making her way to the Gateroom with the rest of SG-1 at her side. The pain ripped through her with every step, and she would have to stop occasionally and lean against Daniel or Teal'c before continuing. Jack was half tempted to carry her to the Gateroom himself, but he knew that would only look silly and probably hurt Carter more.

Sam was suddenly grateful for the fact that the SGC was busy; no one had time to stare at her, much less even shoot a glance her way. She swore she could still feel blood and acid pouring down her body, but she credited this to her imagination. Then, she felt that feeling again. The urges seemed to be getting stronger the closer they got to the Gate, and Sam bit her lip so hard that it began to bleed. "I can't do this," she blurted out, and the rest of the team stopped to see what was wrong.

"Are you alright, Major Carter?" Teal'c asked, offering a hand so that she wouldn't fall.

"I can't wipe those coordinates. Not now. And you're not going to make me, either!" she shouted, running in the opposite direction. Her friends had no time to be shocked before they ran after her, hoping that she wouldn't hurt herself or anyone else.

Sam had knocked a few people down in her rush to get away, but she never dreamed of hurting anyone. She just wanted to get away from the light, and go back into the dark, cold room that she had been held in. It wasn't long before she found it, along with a shocked Dr. Fraiser. "Sam?"

The Major didn't respond. She crawled under the infirmary bed, covering herself with whatever she could find.

It was then that Daniel ran in, nearly knocking the doctor down. "Have you seen-"

He was cut off by crying, and he looked down to see that Sam had hidden herself underneath the infirmary bed that she had been placed in only a week ago.

"Sam...You don't have to hide from us. We're your friends, Sam. Please come out."

He could feel her watching him from where she sat, and he caught a glimpse of her peeking out past the leg of the bed. "I want to be alone," she muttered, her voice cracking with pain.

"Sam, listen-"

"Go!" she shouted, refusing to speak to Dr. Fraiser.

"You three go on. I'll keep an eye on her, I promise." At first the three men refused to budge, but Janet urged them in a commanding voice. Finally, they all did as she asked, stepping out of the infirmary and back into the corridor. Jack gave Janet a quick glance, as if to say something, and Janet caught it before they stood in the corridor, wondering what they could do.

"I should go talk to General Hammond," Jack said, walking away from the other men at a steady pace. Teal'c decided that he would be no good to Major Carter if he didn't eat, and he invited Daniel to do the same.

"No, thanks," the young man replied, walking towards his quarters to read for a while. He thought that maybe if he read something, he could get his friend's pain off his mind, but he was sorely grieved by what he had seen.

Sam's hair fell in front of her face as she lifted her legs up, holding them close to her stomach in a folded position. This was how Janet left her, and she was tempted to crawl under the sheets of the bed and fall asleep, but she knew that the longer she stayed away from human contact, the harder her recovery would be. She had stripped her regular clothes from her body and taken back a gown; at the moment it seemed more comfortable to move around in. At times she caught herself crawling on her hands and feet, and everytime she tried to stand, she wanted to fall over. She had been giving in to the urges, and they now controlled her, but deep down inside she could hear her old voice, reasoning that she must fight. However, no matter how hard she tried, the voice was always extinguished.

Eventually, she grew tired of sitting by herself, and decided that she liked the men again. She crawled from the bed and stretched her legs, then opened the door before she fell to her hands and feet. She could smell the scent of her friends from where they had been standing in the corridor, and now had to decide which scent she should follow. She argued with herself for a few seconds before darting down the corridor, following the scent of the one who pleased her the most.


	4. Chapter 4

After sending in the message to General Hammond, it was decided that the rest of the team would go looking for Carter on their own. It had been hard to convince Hammond at first, but Jack wanted to be sure that no one else got hurt.

They started walking in the same direction that they had been going before the attack, but it wasn't long before they realized that this place was like a maze. They continuously tried different routes, but they always ended up back at the Gate, and Jack was getting frustrated fast. After about two tries, they decided to see if there was more than one Stargate on the planet, but they always seemed to end up at the same one.

Then, Daniel suggested that they lay down markers. "That way, we'll know where we've been," he reasoned. Jack took his suggestion and all three men started laying down markers using sticks, rocks, and other objects they found on their way. Still, they kept coming back to the same place they started, and their hopes of finding Carter where continuously bashed.

The beast laid Carter down in the dip of the cave, releasing it's sharp claws from her skin. The Major cried out in pain. She looked around to see piles of rocks surrounding her, making a dark, cosy lair for the creature that had captured her. The silvery animal laid nearby, staring at her, as if sizing her up to determine whether or not to eat her.

"What are you staring at?" she asked, glaring angrily at the beast. It responded with an ear-splitting shriek, before laying down and leaving Sam to think up a plan.

She imagined that the rest of SG-1 were probably planning a rescue themselves, but she figured that it would be a while before they made an appearance. The team would not only have to arm themselves with the proper equipment, but they would also have to send reinforcements through the Gate, which would take a while. Until then, she would just have to do her best to survive, and maybe find a way to get herself out.

The cave seemed to be protected by a sort of force-shield, which Sam was all too familiar with. She noticed, however, that there seemed to be no hidden compartments, no odd devices and no holograms. She was shocked at first, then realized that this beast had to be real. She could only assume that it created the force-shield itself, no matter how crazy that sounded. She couldn't seem to come up with any other solution; that this beast was real was the most plausible one. She watched as it's chest rose and fell with each breath, and how it covered itself with feathers as it slept.

After exploring the cave little by little, she found that the only way out was the way they came in. She tapped the force-shield a few times as if testing it's strength; she doubted that she'd be able to get through without waking the beast. She sighed, wondering what in the world she was going to do to get herself out of here. The cave was completely empty, aside from herself and the creature. She imagined the chances of any weapon she had being able to kill or even wound the animal. It was too tight of a space in the cave to use any explosive, and Sam figured that it would take more than a simple grenade to kill the beast.

She sighed. She knew that she couldn't give up; she had to find a way out of here, because she wasn't guaranteed a rescue. But at the moment, her plight seemed slightly overwhelming. If she tried to attack the creature, she might as well commit suicide, because there was nowhere to run. There was no contraption that could be rigged to bring the force-shield down; the animal would have to be killed first. So now what?

"Psst...pssst!"

Carter jumped back, then realized what she was hearing. "Colonel?"

"Carter, are you alright?"

Sam glanced at the beast, making sure that it was still fast alsleep. "I'm fine, Sir. The creature's asleep, but the cave's surrounded by some sort of force-shield. I think the beast is generating it, but I'm too close for an attack."

Everyone was silent for a moment before Jack responded, "So, basically you're telling me there's no way of getting you out of here."

Sam paused. "I don't know. I'm not too sure, yet."

Again, there was silence, then O'Neill replied, "I'm going to try some mild explosives near the cave. Maybe that'll bring the shield down."

"It's too risky, Sir."

"What?!"

"It's awake."

The large beast loomed over Carter, making a great shadow where she stood. She slid down the wall of the cave and sat, waiting, to see what it would do. It looked at her, then towards the outside of the cave. The force-shield collapsed, and Colonel O'Neill immediately ran in, guns blazing, firing at the creature.

Sam ran outside the cave, grabbing her gun and firing all the way. The bullets merely bounced off the animal's body, making it impossible to get a shot, and making the animal angry. It's massive head swung back and forth and it gave a shriek before snapping at Carter again. The Major let out a cry of pain as it's beak grabbed her, dragging her into the cave past the rest of her team.

The force-shield went up before they could think of what to do. "Sam, are you alright?!" Daniel shouted, hoping for a reply.

"I'm fine, I've just got a few bruises."

The Colonel let out a sigh of relief.

"Sir, I doubt that our weapons are going to do anything to hurt this- thing-"

"What are you saying, Carter?"

"I might have to find out what it wants, Sir."

 **Author's Note: I was going to publish this part last night, but I had a long day yesterday and was tired. If you're reading this, that means you've gotten this far! Yay! I have a lot in store for SG-1 during this fanfic, and I hope anyone who reads it enjoys.**


	5. Chapter 5

Jack's head was tilted as he glanced down at Carter, who was pulling on his pant leg. General Hammond seemed too shocked to speak; he'd never seen the Major act this way before.

Sam sat close to the ground on her hands and knees, staring up at Colonel O'Neill with a questioning expression. "Hey, Carter, it's good to see you up and about...how ya feeling?" he asked, wondering if she realized the way she looked.

"I'm feeling alright, Sir...maybe a little hungry, I guess."

The Colonel glanced at General Hammond, who's mouth was hanging open.

"Uh...Carter, maybe you should...stand up."

The Major looked at him like he was crazy. "What are you-" her voice broke and she looked down at the ground. When she lifted her head, an expression of fear crossed her face.

Jack offered an empty hand, and Carter took it, steadying herself against him in her attempt to stand. She was a little wobbly at first, but after a few minutes, she was able to support herself. Her face turned a bright red as she noticed she was being watched, and she let go of the Colonel's hand, not daring to look back at him. "Thank you, Sir."

Before things could get even more awkward, Jack called over a young airman who was guarding a room nearby. He asked the man if he could guide Major Carter to the mess hall, and the man nodded, waiting for Sam before heading that way.

Jack waited for the man to leave with Carter before he started, "That's what I came to talk to you about. She's not acting like herself lately; she's been crawling around on her hands and knees, and she insists on sitting alone in the dark."

"According to Janet's medical report, that thing did some horrible things to Major Carter. I wouldn't be too surprised if this is just the icing on the cake."

"We've found a psychiatrist that has all the qualifications to help Carter, but Janet says she just needs more time."

"Well, as much as I hate to say this, Jack, time is something she doesn't have much of. I've talked this over with the President. He understands that the Major is important to the team, but he insists that if she's been compromised, I have to pick someone else for the team."

Jack was genuinely suprised; he hadn't thought about how long Carter had been out. Her surgery hadn't taken too long, and she seemed fine physically...it was the mental part that was the problem. "How much time does she have?"

"The President was willing to give her a month."

Jack hadn't wanted to argue, but he couldn't believe the way the General was talking. "A month? He's given us longer than that before-"

"I'm sorry, Jack, but with the current situation, we need SG-1 to be able to go through that Gate."

Jack wanted to argue further, but he knew that the General was right. With the threat of the Anubis and his Kull warriors, the team had been tied up lately, and Sam had been through a bit of emotional stress. He knew that he might not be able to convince the President, but he refused to believe that this was the last straw for Carter.

Major Carter picked a tray from the stack, then sat it down and waited for her plate to be filled. She watched as the airman put meatloaf on her plate, then added green beans and carrots. Although the smell of veggies made her turn up her nose, she couldn't turn down the meat.

She did her best to eat like she normally would, until she zeroed in on the thick, warm lump of meat. She downed it savagely and went back for more, bringing her plate back each time to have another hot helping of meatloaf.

The airmen were perfectly fine with the fact that Carter liked the meatloaf, until they realized that they were all out. "Sorry, ma'am, we're all out of meatloaf," one of them explained, trying to be as patient with her as possible.

"I'm still hungry!" She insisted, acting like she was ready to punch both of them.

"Sorry, ma'am, we have some pie left, but-"

"I don't want pie, I want meat," she demanded, slowly making her way around the counter to get closer to the two men.

"Well, see-"

Before either of them could appease the woman, she had launched herself at them, shrieking visciously. The shock of her attack threw both men off-guard, and they tried to get away without hurting her, with no success. She picked one man up by his shirt collar, throwing him across the table. She bit down on the other man's arm, and he cried out in pain, grabbing her by the scalp and pulling her away.

"Carter!"

The Major released the man, and glanced in the Colonel's direction.

"Come here."


	6. Chapter 6

**WARNING: This chapter contains violence/hurt/whump that may be disturbing to some readers. Read at your own risk.**

The animal thrust a stone-hard, serrated appendage into the Major, and she cried out in pain. It felt as though millions of knives stuck in her body, from the waist down, then pulled themselves out. She wasn't quite sure of the beast's purpose, but it seemed not to matter anymore. The Major's primary concern was the pain that threatened to render her unconscious, and the blood that soaked her body.

Finally, the creature stopped.

Carter wished that she had blacked out during the ordeal. The beast had been stabbing her for an hour, and she feared the loss of her lower body as a result. Although she wanted to close her eyes and rest, she was afraid that once she did, the hideous creature would attack her again.

She checked her watch. It was almost morning. She didn't know how long the creature would sleep before stabbing her again, making her helpless to defend.

Sam lifted her head, glancing down at her body. She swore that she'd never seen so much blood in her life. She tried to stand but found that the pain scorched her insides, and she fell to the ground with a hard thud.

Sleep seemed nearly impossible, but it came to her like a dove's gentle wing. Images from her first trip through the Stargate filled her mind. These gave way to harsher memories of the time when Jolinar was inside her, controlling her every move and forcing her against those whom she loved. Then, came the sweetest memory she could possibly ever think of. She saw a face, with short, brunette hair, and raised eyebrows. This person was human, obviously female, but she couldn't remember who. All she could remember was a man's voice, saying, "I care about her...more than I'm supposed to."

She woke nearly two hours later. Just when her body began to go numb, the animal speared her again. She screamed, and it stopped for a second. She waited, hoping that it was finished with her. She wasn't so lucky, however, and it continued. Blood squirted the beast's face and still it slashed at her again and again, showing no mercy.

Tears streamed down the Major's face. The smell of blood hit her, and she passed out, only to open her eyes and see the creature standing over her. It nudged her gently, then stared at her, as if to see if she was still alive. Carter knew that she would soon go into shock if this continued much longer. With no one to staunch her bleeding, and no medical supplies to even numb the pain, she estimated that she'd last another few hours at most.

She knew that she couldn't give up. Yet, with every slash and shriek, she wanted to. She wanted to lay her head back and let this creature have her for whatever purpose. Still, something gnawed at her that persistently changed her mind. What would the team do without her? Sure, they could find another smart brain to fill the gap, but she didn't really want to die. There were still things she wanted to experience, places she wanted to go, and people she wanted to love. She just couldn't die.

Another few hours later, Sam tried once again to lift her head. She felt like there was a ton of bricks dumped on her body, preventing her from moving and making every little breath feel like her last. A few times, she talked to herself to keep herself awake, and even began uttering simple phrases to herself in the process.

She would pass out, wake up, and be slashed around again. Pass out, wake up, be slowly murdered by a huge, feathered, angry beast.

"What do you want from me?" she asked weakly, beating her fist against the floor of the cave.

The creature wouldn't even look at her. She didn't know if the animal was stupid, or if it just decided to ignore her, but it turned it's back to her, staring at the stone wall instead.

"Can't you hear me?!" she shouted, raising her voice. "What do you want from me?" she asked, and still received no answer. She sobbed. "Why don't you just get it over with?"

The beast didn't touch her again. She never asked why, and she never even spoke to the animal again, but she was shocked, and also relieved. She couldn't fathom why a creature like this would injure her in such a way, only to leave her lying in the floor of it's lair. She didn't understand the way it would glance at her, then look away, like it had committed some great offence. But she couldn't have been more grateful.

She didn't know how long she had been in the cave. She had no idea whether of not her team planned to come after her. She could only imagine, and hope, that they were planning to rescue her at that very moment.

It was obvious that she was wounded, but something felt...different. She hadn't eaten in days, and she'd barely drank anything, so she assumed that half of what she saw was an illusion. She couldn't get rid of the gnawing feeling, however, that something else was wrong. She hadn't seen the beast for days; she remembered seeing it fly off one day after it stopped attacking her.

She wasn't sure what it was up to, or where it had gone, or if it was coming back. In a way, she was relieved, because she wouldn't have to worry about it hurting her anymore. She couldn't help but be astonished, though, because she was sure she was going to be eaten.

Then, it hit her. Maybe she wasn't going to be eaten. Maybe the creature took pleasure in killing things, and it captured her just to torture her. But if that was the case, why didn't it attempt to capture the rest of the team? And why did it just fly away, after so many days of cruel, brutal torture? Sam wasn't sure why, but she wasn't so sure that she wanted to know. Would her friends be able to find her? Would she make it out alive? She could only wait.


	7. Chapter 7

The Colonel walked Sam back to her quarters, assuming that she'd be the most comfortable there. The psychiatrist was supposed to meet with them that afternoon, and the rest of SG-1 were trying to calm the Major down before she would have to talk with him.

"C'mon, Sam, let's get you back to your room, now." Although Daniel and Teal'c tried to convince her otherwise, their friend started crawling on her hands and knees again, right after the attack.

The Major only nodded in response, then continued to follow Jack down the corridor, receiving strange glanced as she came by. She didn't seem to mind, however; she paid those that stared hardly any notice, but rather continued to glance up at Jack, as if asking his approval. She seemed wary of Daniel and Teal'c, but because they were friends, she figured they could tag along. It wasn't really up to her anyway; General Hammond had ordered that the Major be watched at all times.

When they got to the room, O'Neill knew he'd better not try to leave yet. Carter was still just as bouncy as ever, and he didn't trust Teal'c and Daniel to calm her down themselves.

As much as he hated to do it, he had to whistle at Carter every five minutes; she was like a puppy with a new owner. "Come on, Carter, sit down. Good. Now..."

Before he could even begin to explain to Carter what would happen, she would pop up from her seat again, and the three men would have to go chasing after her, keeping her from destroying her own belongings.

When they finally got her to sit down the second time, Teal'c suggested that they teach her Kelno'reem. At first, Jack was skeptically, but he figured, at least it would keep her distracted, if nothing else.

The three men proceeded to sit down in a circle, and tried teaching Carter to do the same. When she finally found her place, she began to copy them, sitting cross-legged beside Daniel. Anyone who would've seen it might have thought that the Major's condition was improving, that was, until she started humming. Of course, the rest of SG-1 had heard her hum before, but this was more of a hum/purr, and her friends all did a double-take as she began her own form of Kelno'reem.

No one said a word, but they all wanted to laugh, and even Teal'c had to hold back a chuckle. Sam was bopping to her own little tune, and purring at the same time. Jack mouthed, "I don't think this is working," and Daniel grinned.

"What are you all laughing at?"

When they looked back at their friend, she was sitting cross-legged in front of them, looking confused.

"You don't remember any of that, do you?" Daniel asked, looking worried.

"Any of what?" Carter asked, glancing from one person to another. "What did I do?"

"You started purring again," Jack replied, trying to be gentle.

Sam was silent for a second. The team knew that she would never have admitted it, but her face showed an expression of worry. They knew she was scared, and in her situation, they knew they would be, too.

"Look, at least you didn't attack anyone this time, right?"

Sam sighed. "When is the psychatrist coming in?"

Daniel glanced down at his watch. "He should be here in...fifteen minutes."

Sam stood up, and the rest of the team followed. "Hey, we'll walk you down there, alright?"

The Major only nodded, and the rest of SG-1 followed. Although her little personality change seemed funny at the time, no one was laughing now. The three men remained quiet as they guided their troubled friend to the room where she was to meet the psychiatrist. The man had complete security clearance, so there was nothing for Carter to have to hide from him. Originally, General Hammond had refused to subject Carter anyone but her team, but with the situation, they had no choice.

When the team walked in, they realized that the lights were turned down low, and the only thing in the room was a desk with two chairs. The man whom they sought sat in one, and the other was already pulled out for Carter. "Come in, dear, and feel free to bring your friends."

Sam did as she was told, and observed the man's features as she sat. He was an older man with a bald spot on his head, and a full beard on his chin. He wore glasses that sat on his nose and a white coat, with a gray shirt underneath.

"I've read quite a lot about you. You're just a smart thing, aren't you?" He glanced at Jack, and gave an odd laugh. "And you, you're the leader. That big guy is...Teal'c, and Daniel, I do believe we've met before."

Daniel grinned, and gave a polite nod.

"Tell me, Major, how are you feeling right now?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Hey guys, I didn't update as quickly as I'd like to, but it's been a busy couple of days! Anyways, I hope this chapter isn't too boring and I hope it serves a believable backstory for our beast. Enjoy!**

Sam gasped. Beside her laid one small, dragon-like creature, covered in amniotic fluid. Another laid it's head on her waist, just barely breathing. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, expecting to be devoured. When she opened her eyes and realized that she was still alive, she pulled what was left of the sac from the smaller creature's head.

They were about two feet long, and about as skinny as could be. Sam swore that she could see ribs poking through their slick, gray skin.

The second little creature let out a shriek, and Carter lifted it up, hoping that would calm it down. She glanced outside the cave in search of the mother, but she saw nothing. She laid down once again, taking a deep breath, and allowed the little youngsters to get comfortable.

She laid there in silence, thankful for a moment's rest. She still wasn't quite sure of how long she had been stuck in the cave, but she hadn't seen the creature for some time, and was beginning to wonder what happened to it after its young were born. The cave was quiet with just Carter and the little creatures, and they snuggled next to her in a warm little ball, purring as they slept.

She was startled by them at first, but as the hours passed, she began to pet them, and they would sometimes purr, and sometimes shriek. They were rather inactive, as it was, and Sam couldn't help but fear for them; they were the only things she had left to care about.

Despite the fact that she had distracted herself with the two creatures, she was still wounded, and could do little more than sit up against a wall of the cave. She had eaten what food she had shoved in her vest pocket, and she drank all of the water from her canteen days ago. She tried administering basic first aid to herself, but she couldn't stop shaking, and what little equipment she had diminished quickly.

Little by little, she wondered how much longer she would have to wait for her team. She hadn't tried escaping because she knew that she'd never get far, and she feared that the moment she tried, the creature would swoop down and capture her again. When she was feeling discouraged, and she began to doubt that she would ever get rescued, she reminded herself that she had probably been here only a few days. She was then able to convince herself that her team would find her, save her, and bring her home.

Carter couldn't understand what kind of heartless, sick creature could leave it's young in such a state. She knew that many Earth animals left their young at at certain age, and baby sea turtles made their way to the ocean by themselves. But this was different. These creatures were dying without a mother, dependent on a weak, wounded human to care for them.

As she watched the creatures day by day, she thought of what animal they might be closely related to. They looked like some form of reptile, but the back of their necks and their wings were covered in pale, pink feathers. Their eyes were glossy, and they had no eyelids, yet they carried such emotion, so much more than their shrieks and cries. The instincts of the mother-beast were like that of a cuckoo bird, a species which lays its eggs in the nest of other birds. The expecting mothers were then forced to raise one that was not of their own kind, while their own babies would die.

Carter continued to watch the little ones every day, still hoping that her team would come. There was little activity between the inhabitants of the cave; they were all too weak to even stand. But every day, Carter would wake up, immediately think of the creatures, and glance down to make sure they were still alive. Every now and then one would give a reassuring cry, and Sam let out a sigh of relief.

Jack stomped around the Gateroom, about as angry as ever. Rather than being a part of the search party for Carter, he was stuck on a mission to help the Tok'ra. He knew that the mission was important to the alliance, but he couldn't help but feel concerned for the lost Major, who had been gone for nearly a week.

SG-1 had fully intended to continue their search for Carter, but when a Tok'ra base was destroyed by the Kull warriors, Hammond had made the hard decision to postpone in the team's search for the Major. Luckily, a Tok'ra guard had received a head's up on the attack, or it could've been much worse, but without Carter's weapon, there was no way they were getting any further with the battle against Anubis' warriors.

Therefore, Hammond had decided that SG-9 and SG-10 would search for Carter. SG-1 would be busy helping Jacob recover other Tok'ra operatives, and relocate them to a different Tok'ra base. The Colonel highly doubted that moving from one base to another would help, but at the moment, it was their only option.

Jack knew that he wasn't the only one itching to look for Sam. Daniel had repeatedly tried to convince General Hammond to let him and Teal'c help Jacob, but Hammond insisted that Jacob needed the whole team. Teal'c had also seemed greatly concerned with Sam's well-being, especially after Daniel finally figured out what kind of animal they were up against.

He said that the beast was named the Quetzal, after the Mesoamerican snake god. It was believed that the Goa'uld themselves created these creatures, then used them for many different purposes before the creatures were deemed too dangerous. When the Goa'uld began using the Jaffa to further their race, they would subject them to the Quetzal's torture as punishment.

None of the team knew why the Quetzal had inhabited PX3-285, but after reading what it could do to a Jaffa, they knew they'd better get to Sam quickly, before it was too late.


	9. Chapter 9

Sam walked down the corridor, biting her lip. She had done it again, and this time, her father had seen it. He had seen her walking on her hands and knees like a toddler, whimpering like a pup. He watched with worried eyes as she snuggled up next to him, glancing up at him with glossy eyes. When she finally came to, she had been too embarrassed to speak, but her father was understanding, and simply joked about her actions.

When she accompanied her father back to the Stargate, she received a few glares, and a few sympathetic glances. However, this wasn't the worst part. The fact that her friends and her father watched her crawl around and shriek couldn't even come close to what she felt when she walked near the Stargate. It was worse than the shiver she received up her spine as a symbiote-carrying person entered the room. She swore that it was the worst feeling she'd ever felt, despite all she had been through.

The worst part was the pangs that struck her heart when she though about those little creatures. It rivaled any embarrassment or backlash, simply because she longed to go back, even though she remembered the torture she had endured. There were times when all she could think about was the little animals, laying all by themselves, dying alone. She knew she just couldn't live with that, no matter what the mother had done to her.

It was on a fairly busy day that she finally decided to give in to the urges. Other than the occasional visit from a member of SG-1, Sam was left alone, and it was when she was alone that these thoughts and longings came to her. Now, she was determined to go back through the Stargate, to the place where it all happened, no matter what the consequences may be.

At first, she thought that she could get away with her lone voyage through the Stargate, but as soon as she dialed, General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill stopped her. She tried to explain to them how important this was, but they just didn't understand. Before long, she found herself crying, being guided away by a worried Colonel O'Neill.

"You don't understand, I need to go back. They need me!" she insisted, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Jack was trying to be patience, but he was constantly worn thin by Carter's mental state. "Listen to me, Carter, you're not feeling this. It's an illusion, like the others."

"It's not an illusion, I know they're real, and I know that if I don't go back, they're going to die," she sobbed, "That's why you have to let me through the Stargate immediately."

"Sam, even if you do go back, and if you can help those creatures, how will it benefit you?"

"If I go there, I can be myself again...I'll be able to forget and move on."

Jack didn't respond. He had walked Carter to her quarters, but it didn't feel right to leave her like this. He waited for her to sit before he invited himself in, and he watched as she crawled in the floor, wiping her face. And, although it made him uncomfortable to do so, he sat down beside her, waiting until she had calmed down.

"You should go," she said, after she was finally able to speak again.

The Colonel stood up, brushing off his shirt and waiting for Carter to stand as well. "Goodnight, then?"

Sam nodded. "Goodnight, Sir."

The Colonel began to walk away, pulling the door behind him before he walked to his own quarters. He passed Daniel on his way, and he thought that he heard the young man ask him a question. He never answered, but rather continued walking, trying to forget the sad, broken version of Carter that she had never let her team see.

The next morning, after the first team had left through the Stargate, the team went to get breakfast, walking alongside of each other at a slowed pace. Jack and Sam were both rather silent, despite Daniel's talkative mood, and Teal'c sensed that something was different about his friends.

When they got to the mess hall, Jack made himself a bowl of cereal, and Daniel grabbed an orange from the fruit bowl. Sam ate some yogurt and a banana, and Teal'c had himself a big, steaming cup of Joe.

The conversation between them started out brief, but grew as they sat together, ingesting their respective meals. Jack talked about one of the recent events he had read about in the paper, and Sam quickly gave her two cents on the matter. Teal'c added a dose of wisdom to the conversation, and Daniel related the situation to something that had happened earlier in history.

Every word and gesture of the team was as usual, until Daniel asked Carter about her time with the psychiatrist.

"I've got some...bad news, actually."

"Is something wrong?"

"Dr. Manford has suggested that I take an extended leave from the Stargate program."

Jack was the first to respond. "How extended?"

"Well, he said that a few months away might help with mental stability, but if that doesn't work...I'll have to leave the program."


	10. Chapter 10

Daniel stood back and listened to the loud kawoosh! of the Stargate. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Teal'c was carrying Carter, who was now unconscious. Jack followed at a steady pace, and was constantly glancing back and firing his zat'nik'tel.

"Go!" the Colonel shouted, and Daniel ran into the event horizon. In a second he was back on Earth, staring face-down at the ramp that led to the Gate.

"We need a medical team immediately!" he yelled, and watched as Teal'c and Jack came in behind him. Blood splattered on the ramp from Major Carter's body, and before the General could speak, Janet had her on the way to the infirmary.

"The mission was a success, Sir. We rescued Major Carter and got our butts out of there like you ordered," Jack had already taken his hat off as he spoke, and threw it down on the ground.

"And Major Carter?" General Hammond asked.

"She's badly wounded, Sir, but she was conscious when we found her. She conked out as we were bringing her back."

"Do you have any idea what that thing did to her?"

"Not a clue, Sir. She didn't tell us. As for the creature, we still don't know if there's a way to kill it."

"Well, we'll have to worry about that once the Major's responsive. For now, SG-1 is dismissed."

The team knew that they wouldn't be able to see Carter right away, so they undressed, showered, and tried to get comfortable after their debriefing. Finally, after about half an hour, Janet was finally able to speak to them.

"Right now, Sam is stable. But, as I'm sure you all realize, she took quite a beating. We'll have to preform surgery on different parts of her body-"

"And?"

"As it stands, I cannot preform this surgery on my own. I'm bringing in a few specialists to help me, and it may take anywhere from one hour to a few hours," Janet took note of the team's worried expressions and explained, "What I'm trying to say is, you won't be able to see her for a while. We'll have to put her under to do what we have to, and there's no guarantee she'll wake up," the doctor's voice cracked with the last few words, and she paused a moment before continuing, "Go home. Get some rest. Take care of yourselves, and I will do all I can for Sam."

Jack couldn't help but worry. He refused to leave the SGC, and Teal'c stayed with him, constantly assuring him that Major Carter would survive. Daniel visited his apartment a few times during the day, but always came back at night to make sure that he hadn't missed anything. When the surgery was over, they all begged to see her, but were dismissed. They pointedly refused to leave the base afterwards, exclaiming that they wouldn't rest until they saw Carter.

As the days grew longer, Jack found ways to spend his time at the base. The General had relieved the team of active duty until further notice, so unless the men had something to do, it became somewhat boring.

On various occasions, Jack and Teal'c would put on their boxing gloves and go a few rounds, swinging with all their might until one of them decided they needed a break. Sometimes, they would strike up a conversation with one another, and all three of them would be chatting as the two men boxed.

"Janet said we could visit Sam tomorrow," Daniel began, holding his glasses up to the light to examine them.

Jack threw a punch at Teal'c, and his Jaffa friend blocked it immediately. "Good. I was starting to wonder if she ever planned on letting us see her," he exclaimed, a bit of irritation sounding in his voice.

"Do you believe there is something wrong with Major Carter?" Teal'c asked.

"What do you mean?" Daniel responded.

Teal'c landed a blow to Jack's chest, and the Colonel coughed. The two then stopped, taking off their gloves for a break. "Dr. Fraiser refuses to let us visit Major Carter," he paused, and grabbed his bottle of water before continuing. "Perhaps Major Carter is unwell."

"I dunno, Teal'c, I'd hope that if anything else was wrong with Carter, the doc would at least tell us," Jack wiped his face with a towel as he spoke.

"Maybe she's afraid that Sam would be embarrassed if we found out what happened."

The Colonel didn't reply, but gave Daniel a puzzled glance.

"Well, we've all been in some sort of- situation- where something awkward happened from an alien technology. We don't know what that...thing...did to Sam, and yet we assume that she'd be ready to face us no matter what."

"So, basically you're saying that Carter might not even want to see us?"

"Well, Jack...she might not be ready, yet."

As it was, the team was confused. Janet had assured them that Major Carter was alive, but that because of her condition, she couldn't be visited by anyone. Was this the doctor's doing? Was something being kept from them about their friend's condition?

Jack wasn't sure. He just wanted to see her, to hear her voice and know for sure that she would be alright. He had no idea what the creature's intentions were, or how this event would effect is friend. All he knew was that he longed to know that she would be okay, and that she would be able to go back to the wonderful, smart friend that he knew.

Daniel hated the situation as much as Jack, but he couldn't bring himself to be mad at Janet. If she didn't want them to visit Sam, there was a reason, and they would just have to find out how she was doing on her terms.

Teal'c was confident that Major Carter would be okay, just as Dr. Fraiser had said. Although he imagined his friends would face some hard times later on, he remained confident in their strengths despite their weaknesses. They were SG-1, and they would always be SG-1, even when they weren't together. They were a team, but they were more than that, a family. And Teal'c had the utmost confidence that their bond would never be broken.

 **Hi guys, how's it going? Sorry for the late updates, it's been a busy couple of weeks here recently. I'm not too proud of this chapter, but I hope that you guys enjoyed it anyways! The next couple chapters may be a little easier; I'm not quite sure yet. Oh, and by the way, if you're reading this, you've made it through part one! Yay! The next chapters shouldn't be so back-and-forth, because the first part is already finished. Thanks for reading, and again, I hope that you like this story.**


	11. Part II, Chapter 11

Jack was the first to respond. "Did he even speak to General Hammond?" he questioned, sounding irritated at the prospect of his friend leaving the program.

Sam bit her lip, and the look in her eyes showed her discomfort. "He talked to General Hammond, and I'm cleared to leave as soon as I'm ready." The Major lifted a spoonful of yogurt to her mouth, watching as her teammates received the news.

"You can't leave!" Daniel blurted out, looking flustered already. "Surely General Hammond knows we need you here?"

"Well, I'm not really doing any of you much good as it is. As long as I'm here, you'll worry about me, and that'll be one less team going through the Stargate."

"Do you wish to leave, Major Carter?"

Sam regarded the question seriously. At the moment, she wanted to be with her friends, but she feared that if she stuck around too long, she'd go back to acting like an animal, and nobody needed that. "I- I want to be here. But as long as I am, the longings will hit me, and I'll be a distraction. Besides, I have no choice. General Hammond has already chosen a temporarily replacement for the next week."

Before anyone could answer, the alarms signaling an unscheduled off world activation rang in their ears. The rest of SG-1 gathered their trash and threw it away before speeding to the Gateroom.

Sam sighed. As the alarms went off, she felt like she was being torn to pieces. It was like she could feel it everytime the Gate was activated, and she longed to go through it back to the place where the little creatures lay, waiting for her. She couldn't stand not knowing if they were still alive; thoughts of them filled her mind at almost every waking moment.

Sam took the bowl and spoon from her yogurt and gave it to the airman who had been serving the food. She walked from the mess hall and into an elevator, hitting the button and waiting to get to her personal quarters. Once there, all she had left to do was pack, and her and Janet would be off on vacation, with Cassie at their side.

It was the middle of summertime for the teenage girl, and after hearing that Sam was taking leave from the base, she insisted that the Major join her and Janet for vacation. Only an hour away from Colorado Springs lived a friend of Cassie's, who's family was going out of town. The ladies would be alone on the weekend, and they had the entire house and a pool to themselves.

At first, Sam was reluctant, but she couldn't say no to Cassandra. Janet had also mentioned that some girl time would help with her therapy, and although Carter was nervous, she had to agree.

An hour after the conversation in the mess hall, the three women had taken off in Janet's car, chatting about everything under the sun. Sam and Janet listened intently as Cassie related an embarrassing event with her boyfriend, and Sam offered her advice on how to handle such a situation.

"Sometimes I don't understand men," Cassandra commented, causing the two women to laugh. "Seriously, Dominic and I spent twenty minutes arguing yesterday about where to eat, then he finally agreed on the first place I suggested."

Janet didn't seem suprised. "Dominic is very opinionated, but it's obvious that he wants to please you."

"You really should go easier on him, Cas," Sam added gently. "You two have been together for a couple of years. It's not uncommon for you to have disagreements after all this time."

"I suppose you're right. I'm glad to be going away this weekend, but I'll still miss him."

Sam raised her eyebrows and smiled at Janet, and the doctor smiled back. Soon, they were pulling into the driveway at the house, ready to get out of the vehicle. Sam stared in awe at it's size while she helped to unpack.

After the trio was unpacked and settled, Cassie insisted that they go for a swim. The two women gave in and they all changed in a few minutes, for they were eager to swim on such a hot day. Sam and Cass applied sunscreen to their bodies before jumping in, knowing that if they didn't, they'd be burnt to a crisp.

Although Janet and Cass tried their best to distract her, the Major couldn't help but think about her work. For once, she had a clear mind and she was standing on her own two feet, and yet she was off vacationing with friends. It didn't feel right to her, no matter how many times she reminded herself that her psychiatrist recommended she take leave. She couldn't ignore that gut feeling, that feeling she had ever since she left PX3-285. She felt as though she had left something important behind, almost like leaving a team member behind on an important mission. She had to go back, no matter the consequence.

However, she knew that Janet would stop her. The woman would reason that the Major was taken off of the program on doctor's orders, and Sam would have no way to leave. She could try to take Janet's car, she knew that she would still be stopped, and she couldn't leave her friends without a way to get around.

As much as she tried to reason with herself, she couldn't convince herself to stay. She would try to escape this forced vacation, and if that didn't work, well, what else was there to do?

 **Hey guys, how's it going? I don't want to confuse anyone, so I'm going to do some explaning. In the first part, I wrote the chapters in a back-and-forth sort of way. For the second part of the story, I'm not going to do this nearly as much, because I feel like I've already confused a few readers. Plus, it'll be easier for me to keep track of what's going on without having to reread everything 100 times. Anyways, I hope that you're enjoying the story! Feel free to shoot me a comment about how I'm doing and what I could do better. Thanks!**


	12. Chapter 12

The tires of Janet's car squealed as the doctor stopped her, jerking the car door open and yelling, "What are you doing?"

Sam stopped. What was she doing? One second, she sat on the edge of the pool, watching Janet and Cass swim. The next, she was pulling out of the driveway, trying to get back to Cheyenne Mountain. "I- I'm sorry, I'm just...I'm fine," she responded. She unbuckled her seat belt and climbed out of the car, walking back over to the edge of the pool.

"Are you sure you're okay? We can go back home if you're not," Janet replied, staring at Sam with concern in her eyes.

"Yeah, I just- I need to clear my head." She walked up the latter to the pool and sat back down, glancing back and forth from Janet to Cassie.

She had to get out, but she'd already been stopped once. If she tried again, she knew that the doctor would insist on leaving, and she'd just be cooped up in their house for the rest of the weekend.

The Major placed her hand on the surface of the water, and watched as it rippled with every touch. She could jump in and enjoy herself, if only that feeling would go away. Maybe swimming with the girls would actually help, she thought.

However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself to climb in. She was distracted every time she tapped the surface of the water, but it didn't last long. She couldn't convince herself that she wanted to spend the weeekend with the girls; her only desire was to go back to Cheyenne Mountain, as soon as possible.

Everytime she thought she'd come up with a plan, she looked at the inhabitants of the pool and her thoughts were erased. She couldn't escape! She loved hanging out with Cassandra and Janet; she wouldn't trade these moments for the world.

Or would she?

Sam stood at on the highest step of the ladder, and stared down at the surface below. How long could she last? The surface of the water rippled with every movement, and Sam glanced up with pursed lips to see Cassie floating on a raft. "C'mon, Sam, jump in!"

The Major smiled back at the teenager, then looked again at the bottom of the pool. She wondered how it would feel to sit on the bottom and watch the two women swim, like a fish in the water. "Sam, are you okay? You look a little upset," Janet commented, pulling her sunglasses from her face.

"I was just wondering what it would be like to have fins..."

Cassandra giggled. "Why don't you jump in and find out? Come on, Sammy, it'll be fun!"

She jumped.

Her head smacked the bottom of the pool, and she cursed mentally. She remembered the times when she and Mark would go swimming and her brother would lie on the bottom, giving her grandmother a scare. Her brother would hold his breath for minutes and then pop back up, gasping for breath before going back down again.

She lifted her head from the water, hearing the voices of her two companions. Every part of her body felt heavy, and the noise of their speech was loud and annoying. She wanted to run away, so that she could hear her own thoughts and focus on what was important.

Sam dunked her head in the water. She held it under for an unknown amount of time. She could feel the water flowing through her nose and mouth, but she didn't care.

Bubbles rose at the surface, and Janet glanced over to see the Major slowly drowning herself. "Sam, what are you doing?" she asked, assuming that her friend was just goofing off.

She didn't respond.

"Sam? Samantha!?"

The Major's body snapped under the water as she swam down, lying at the bottom of the pool. She no longer felt the desire to live, not if she couldn't leave this vacation. She didn't want to keep trying to survive, if only to please those around her and never do anything for herself. The weight of her problems was too heavy, and so many voices screamed at her to go back to the place where she nearly died in a pool of her own blood. The water at the bottom was welcoming, and warm. It entered her nose and mouth in great quantities, causing her vision to blur more than it already was, before it went completely black.

Janet heard Cassandra's scream as she returned to the surface of the water with the Major's body in her arms. She pulled her out of the pool and onto dry land, checking for the rise and fall of her chest. At the realization Sam wasn't breathing, the doctor began preforming CPR, placing her hand on the center of Sam's chest and pushing a few times before tilting her head and giving a few breaths.

Three seconds later the Major sat up, coughing up the water she had allowed into her body. Her face was as pale as a ghost and her lips had turned a dark blue. Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked in disbelieve. "Janet..."

The doctor sighed. "What did you think you were doing? You scared the heck out of me!" she yelled, her voice cracking. "I'm calling doctor Manford," she paused, "and we're going to talk."

 **Hope you guys enjoy! Now, I've got friends to hang out with and cookies to eat. Bye for now!**


	13. Chapter 13

Doctor Janet Fraiser gave a skeptical look, and her arms folded over her chest. "I'm sorry, but I don't think this is helping her," she replied, shooting a glance in Jack's direction. "She hasn't had any improvement from the time she walked through the Gate. One minute, she seems to be back to her normal self, the next, she's an animal, and now, she's tried to kill herself." The woman paused, realizing how she sounded. She relaxed, then explained, "Look, I know you're trying to help Major Carter. And I know that it hasn't been that long since the diagnosis. However, I think we should try something different."

Sam stood outside the infirmary door, listening intently to the doctor's conversation with her psychologist. Had she really been acting so odd in the last two weeks? She remembered SG-1's mission to PX3-285, and she remembered bits and peices of the pain she endured. What she didn't know was that she had been acting like a savage, wild animal one minute and a suicidal patient the next.

Dr. Manford sighed. "Well then, what do you suppose we do?"

"I know this sounds counterproductive..." she started, almost as if she'd already had this speech planned. "But I think we need to let her go back."

Sam desperately wanted to see the reactions of her teammates and the psychologist, but refused to be spotted. She bit her lip and waited for an answer, and before too long, she got one.

"I'm sorry Dr. Manford, but I'm going to have to agree with Dr. Fraiser here. So far, SG-1 has seen little improvement with her condition, and we cannot afford to wait much longer. If you'd still like to stay and help, that'll be fine, but I think right now, her team is her biggest chance at getting back to normality."

The Major didn't know whether to be glad or disappointed. She had stood listening to them decide on her future without even knowing the full story, and it scared her more than anything to imagine what she might've become. Yet, despite her fears, she trusted not only Dr. Fraiser, but also the entirety of her team. And, she knew that if anything seemed too risky, her commanding officer would quickly step up to bring a quick stop to the idea.

Rather than doing so, however, he simply nodded and said, "What exactly do you have planned, Doc?"

Dr. Fraiser sighed, looking from the General, to Jack, then back again. "I think that we need to allow Major Carter to go back to PX3-285. I believe that this will allow her to not only remember what happened, but to let go and understand why it is important to let go."

Sam let out a shocked cry as the memories flooded back again. Tears brimmed her eyes, and she squeezed them shut, hoping that no one would see.

"Let's do it then." The Colonel agreed, moving towards the door. The chatter in the room stopped as he opened it, walking out to see a broken, frail Carter laying on the floor.

The entire team looked suprised at the Major for her apparent eavesdropping, but Jack seemed to wave it off as he bent down to her level and asked, "Are you okay?"

Dr. Manford walked away, not caring to say a word.

Sam gulped, then replied, "I- I remember what happened now. I- I really, really need to go back." The Major wiped her eyes as the Colonel helped her up, and made an effort to look a little braver than she felt.

"I know. That's why we had that little conversation back there. We're letting you go back, because we think that it'll help." He looked to Doctor Fraiser for a little more explanation, and the Doctor began to speak.

"We're giving Doctor Manford four more days with you. After that, if there's no improvement, we will allow you to go through the Gate to PX3-285. Your team will be with you at all times to ensure your safety, and you can do what you need to do to begin your healing emotionally."

Sam's eyes squeezed shut again, and she nodded. "How do you know this is the right thing to do?" she asked, looking from one teammate to another.

"Well, we don't," Daniel replied, pulling his glasses from his face. "But we'll just have to try." He held his glasses up to examine them, then wiped them and returned them to his face.

"Daniel's right. If we're ever going to get you over this, we'll have to try different methods. I know it's not going to be easy, but you'll need to concentrate on getting back to your normal self again."

Sam nodded. As far as she knew, she hadn't been acting that differently lately, but she was reminded of her capture, and she lowered her head. "I'll try," she promised.

Janet looked to the rest of the team and continued, "And I expect each of you to keep an eye on her whenever you're able. Maybe later we can all go over to her house and spend some time together."

The Major nodded, then replied, "I'd like to go wash up, if that's fine." It had felt like days since she showered, and she caught herself scratching her head over and over again.

"Go ahead," the Colonel responded, and the rest of the team watched as she walked over to the locker room area to shower.

As she walked away, millions of thoughts clouded her mind. If she'd been acting like an animal all this time, had anyone taken care of her house? How long had it been since the mission to PX3-285? And why did she want to go back?

She remembered the bruises, the gashes, the numb feeling she had from the waist down. Now she was walking, and although sore, she seemed fine on the outside.

It was the inside that was damaged, like someone had taken parts of her brain, cut them up, then puzzled them back together in all the wrong places. On the outside, she was fine, yet on the inside, she was still in the midst of torment.

 **Yay! Late updates...sorry guys, I haven't really been feeling it lately, so the updates have obviously been late. However, I watched an episode of SG-1 with my aunt yesterday, and I've been inspired to keep this story going. Enjoy.**


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